IASH Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026-27: Up to GBP 20,000 Bursary at University of Edinburgh, Eligibility and How to Apply

IASH Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026-27: : The IASH Postdoctoral Fellowships are offered by the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. These fellowships provide early-career researchers in the arts, humanities, and social sciences with a 3 to 10 month research residency at Edinburgh, one of the world’s most historically significant academic cities, along with a bursary of up to GBP 20,000, dedicated office space, university library access, and a structured community of international scholars.

The current round is for visits between August 2026 and July 2027. The application deadline is 17:00 GMT on 24 April 2026. Decisions will be communicated in July 2026. Applications are open to researchers from anywhere in the world who have been awarded a PhD within the last three years.

Since its founding in 1969, IASH has hosted over 1,250 Fellows from more than 65 countries. Up to 30 researchers are in residence at any given time, creating a genuinely international scholarly community. Competition for these fellowships is described by IASH itself as “intense.”

What the IASH Postdoctoral Fellowships

An IASH Postdoctoral Fellowship is a research residency, not a degree programme or a teaching position. You come to Edinburgh to work on your own research project in a supportive academic environment with access to the University of Edinburgh’s resources. Here is exactly what you get.

A bursary of up to GBP 20,000 (maximum). This can be used as a contribution towards living expenses during your residency, or it can top up an existing postdoctoral fellowship you may already hold from another source (for example, a British Academy fellowship). The bursary is not a salary. No teaching is required in exchange for it, though fellows may individually arrange concurrent teaching up to a maximum of 0.4 FTE (2 days per week equivalent) to supplement the bursary if they wish.

A research visit at the University of Edinburgh lasting 3 to 10 months. You choose the duration when applying, based on your research needs.

Dedicated office space in IASH’s historic 19th-century building at Hope Park Square, just on the edge of the University’s central campus, with views of the Meadows. This is your personal workspace for uninterrupted thinking, reading, and writing.

A University of Edinburgh email account and full library access, giving you access to one of the UK’s largest research library systems.

An allocated University mentor from an area relevant to your research interests. This is a faculty member at Edinburgh who can provide guidance, feedback, and help you connect with relevant researchers across the university.

Weekly Fellows’ Lunch for community building. This informal gathering brings together all current fellows for conversation and connection.

A collegial work-in-progress seminar series where you can test new ideas and receive feedback from fellow researchers.

Opportunities to participate in and design funded workshops, colloquia, and other events at the Institute.

Who Can Apply

The eligibility criteria are specific and there are several conditions that applicants must meet.

PhD Requirement

You must have been awarded a doctorate at the time of application. The PhD must normally have been awarded within the last three years, meaning you should have graduated between 2023 and 2026. If you graduated earlier than 2023, you may still be eligible if you have taken significant career breaks since completing your doctorate. Parental leave or other time away from academia does not count towards the three-year limit, but you must provide brief details of the duration and reason for the break.

If you have not yet formally graduated at the time of application but have completed all requirements, you must be able to produce a transcript, testamur (degree certificate), or a letter of completion or eligibility to graduate as part of your application.

No Permanent Position

You must not have held a permanent position at a university. This ensures the fellowship goes to early-career researchers who are still building their academic careers. However, those who have held temporary or short-term appointments (such as fixed-term lectureships, research assistant positions, or adjunct roles) are eligible to apply.

No Previous IASH Fellowship

You must not have previously held a Fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities. The fellowship is for new IASH fellows only.

Open to All Nationalities

Applications are welcomed from researchers anywhere in the world, both within and beyond the University of Edinburgh. There is no nationality restriction. Indian researchers with a recent PhD in humanities or social sciences are fully eligible to apply.

Discipline

Applications are accepted on all topics and in all areas of the arts, humanities, and social sciences. This is a broad mandate covering history, philosophy, literature, languages, cultural studies, sociology, political science, anthropology, religious studies, art history, musicology, gender studies, digital humanities, and related fields. IASH particularly encourages innovative and interdisciplinary topics and approaches.

Note: this fellowship is specifically for humanities and social sciences. Natural sciences, engineering, medicine, and technology are not within the scope.

Targeted Sub-Fellowships

In addition to the general Postdoctoral Fellowships, IASH offers several targeted postdoctoral opportunities in specific disciplines. If you apply for one of these targeted fellowships and your application is unsuccessful, it will automatically be considered as part of the general Postdoctoral Fellowship pool. This means applying to a targeted scheme gives you two chances instead of one.

The targeted fellowships for 2026-27 include the Public Engagement Fellowship for scholars keen to develop outreach and knowledge exchange skills, the Daiches-Manning Memorial Fellowship in 18th-Century Scottish Studies for researchers in history, the Digital Scholarship Postdoctoral Fellowship for those working in digital arts, digital humanities, digital education, digital design, or digital social sciences, the IASH-Alwaleed Postdoctoral Fellowship for researchers working in the field of contemporary Islam and Muslim culture, the IASH-CTPI Duncan Forrester Fellowship for scholars in public theology (including peacebuilding and the arts, theology and migration, theology and environmental ethics, theology and justice), the Heritage Collections Research Fellowship for researchers examining specific special collections and archives held at the University of Edinburgh, the IASH-National Museums Scotland Fellowship for research on collections held at the National Museum of Scotland, the GENDER.ED Postdoctoral Fellowship for research focused on gender and sexualities studies, and the RACE.ED Stuart Hall Foundation Fellowship for scholars whose research engages meaningfully with the work of Stuart Hall in theory, method, or topic.

Each of these has its own dedicated page on the IASH website with specific eligibility details.

What IASH Expects from Fellows

The fellowship comes with clear expectations that affect how you plan your residency.

Fellows must make IASH their main place of work for the duration of the fellowship. You are expected to be in residence throughout your tenure and contribute fully to the life of the Institute. Fieldwork or in-person data collection outside central Scotland, and lengthy periods away from Edinburgh, are not encouraged. If your research requires extensive fieldwork in another location, this fellowship may not be the right fit.

Fellows must give at least one seminar presentation during their tenure, sharing their research with the IASH community. At the end of the fellowship, you must submit a report on your research.

To take full advantage of the seminars, lectures, and opportunities to meet staff in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, IASH encourages applicants to apply for periods that include at least part of one of the University’s academic semesters.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the IASH online application portal at iash.ed.ac.uk/application-form. The closing date is 17:00 GMT on 24 April 2026. Applications received after this time will not be considered.

Application Form

The online application form requires your personal details, academic background, PhD details, research proposal, proposed duration of visit, any contact you have made with University of Edinburgh researchers, and information about other funding sources you have applied for.

A critical requirement that many applicants overlook: you must evidence contact with researchers at the University of Edinburgh before submitting your application. Applicants who can demonstrate the relevance of their proposed project to the Edinburgh research community will be regarded favourably. This means you should identify Edinburgh faculty whose work connects to yours, reach out to them before applying, and mention this contact in your application. Use the Edinburgh Research Explorer (research.ed.ac.uk/portal) or the staff pages of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to find relevant researchers.

References

A minimum of two and a maximum of three confidential references are required. Referees must email their references directly to the Director at [email protected] by 24 April 2026. If references are not received by this date, your application cannot be considered. This is non-negotiable.

Referees should comment on the nature and quality of the research proposal as well as the qualifications of the applicant. One referee must certify the successful viva (defence) and final examination of your PhD thesis. This means at least one of your referees should be your PhD supervisor or examiner.

It is your responsibility to ensure that referees submit on time. Do not assume they will remember. Follow up with them well before the deadline.

Supporting Documents

Any additional supporting documents should be emailed to [email protected]. The specific documents are not listed as a fixed checklist (unlike Indian scholarship applications), but based on the selection criteria, you should be prepared to provide your CV with publication list, the research proposal, proof of PhD award (transcript, testamur, or completion letter), and details of any career breaks if your PhD is more than three years old.

Selection Criteria

The selection process evaluates multiple factors. The academic record and publications of the applicant are considered, along with the capacity to contribute to a community of scholars (IASH values fellows who engage with others, not just isolate themselves in their office). Particular weight is placed on the quality and timeliness of the proposed research project. Innovative and interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged. Evidence of contact with University of Edinburgh researchers is important. The relevance of the project to Edinburgh’s research community is assessed.

Practical Considerations for Indian Applicants

Indian researchers applying for this fellowship should keep several practical matters in mind.

The GBP 20,000 bursary (approximately Rs. 21 to 22 lakh at current exchange rates) is described as a “contribution towards living expenses.” Edinburgh is an expensive city, particularly for accommodation. For a 10-month stay, GBP 20,000 would need to cover rent, food, transport, and living costs. This may be tight for Edinburgh, especially if you have dependents. However, the bursary can be combined with other funding sources, and fellows can arrange part-time teaching to supplement income.

You will need a UK visa. IASH provides university affiliation, which supports the visa process, but you should start planning for the visa application well in advance of your intended start date.

There are no Indian-specific document requirements. Aadhaar cards, caste certificates, and income certificates are not required. The application is purely academic: research proposal, references, CV, and PhD documentation.

The fellowship is in the humanities and social sciences only. If your PhD is in a STEM field, this fellowship is not applicable to you.

Timeline

The application portal is currently open. The deadline is 17:00 GMT on 24 April 2026. Decisions will be communicated in July 2026. Fellowship visits take place between August 2026 and July 2027, with the exact dates determined by the fellow’s proposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this fellowship open to Indian researchers?

Yes. There is no nationality restriction. Researchers from any country can apply, provided they meet the PhD and eligibility requirements.

Do I need to have completed my PhD?

Yes, the PhD must be awarded at the time of application. If you have completed all requirements but not yet formally graduated, a letter of completion or eligibility to graduate is acceptable.

Is there an age limit?

No age limit, but your PhD must have been awarded within the last three years (2023 to 2026), with exceptions for career breaks.

Can STEM researchers apply?

No. The fellowship is exclusively for arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Is the GBP 20,000 guaranteed?

The bursary is “up to” GBP 20,000. The actual amount may vary based on the duration of the visit and other factors.

Do I need to teach?

No. No teaching is required. However, you may arrange concurrent teaching up to 0.4 FTE to supplement the bursary.

Can I do fieldwork during the fellowship?

IASH expects fellows to be in residence at Edinburgh throughout. Fieldwork outside central Scotland or lengthy absences are not encouraged.

Do I need to contact Edinburgh researchers before applying?

Yes, this is strongly recommended. Applicants who evidence contact with Edinburgh researchers and demonstrate relevance to the university’s research community are regarded favourably.

Official Links and Contact

The official fellowship page is at iash.ed.ac.uk/postdoctoral-fellowships-2026-27. The application portal is at iash.ed.ac.uk/application-form. For queries and reference submissions, email [email protected]. Address: The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, The University of Edinburgh, Hope Park Square, Edinburgh EH8 9NW, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 (0)131 650 4671. An applicant webinar recording is available on the IASH website with advice and tips for applicants.